the author's attitude toward the subject In literature, the author's style and treatment of the subject reflect his/her attitude about the subject as well as an attitude towards the audience. Components of tone:
Understatement: casual or light treatment of the subject, it has two effects:
shows that the author does not take a subject seriously.
calls upon the moral indignation of the reader because the subject does not seem to be taken seriously.
Irony: a discrepancy between what is stated and what is suggested; saying one thing and meaning another.
Hyperbole: the opposite of understatement; exaggeration used for rhetorical effect: may be dramatic heightening.
The middle style: style used by most authors, lying between understatement and hyperbole; presents an accurate picture of things as they are.
Failures in tone
Sentimentality: author attempts to impose upon the material a greater emotional burden than it can comfortably bear.
Inhibition: author's failure to give due emotional weight to his material.
Tone
tone = speaker’s attitude
Tone:
the author's attitude toward the subject
In literature, the author's style and treatment of the subject reflect his/her attitude about the subject as well as an attitude towards the audience.
Components of tone:
shows that the author does not take a subject seriously.
calls upon the moral indignation of the reader because the subject does not seem to be taken seriously.
- Irony: a discrepancy between what is stated and what is suggested; saying one thing and meaning another.
- Hyperbole: the opposite of understatement; exaggeration used for rhetorical effect: may be dramatic heightening.
- The middle style: style used by most authors, lying between understatement and hyperbole; presents an accurate picture of things as they are.
Failures in toneadoring
affectionate
appreciative
approving
bemused
benevolent
blithe
calm
casual
celebratory
cheerful
comforting
comic
compassionate
complimentary
conciliatory
confident
contented
delightful
earnest
ebullient
ecstatic
effusive
elated
empathetic
encouraging
euphoric
excited
exhilarated
expectant
facetious
fervent
flippant
forthright
friendly
funny
gleeful
gushy
happy
hopeful
humorous
interested
introspective
jovial
joyful
laudatory
light
lively
mirthful
modest
nostalgic
optimistic
passionate
placid
playful
poignant
proud
reassuring
reflective
relaxed
respectful
reverent
romantic
sanguine
scholarly
self-assured sentimental
serene
silly
sprightly
straightforward
sympathetic
tender
tranquil
whimsical
wistful
worshipful
zealous
direct
impartial
indirect
meditative
objective
questioning
speculative
unambiguous
unconcerned
understated
acerbic
ambiguous
ambivalent
angry
annoyed
antagonistic
anxious
apathetic
apprehensive
belligerent
bewildered
biting
bitter
blunt
bossy
cold
conceited
condescending
confused
contemptuous
curt
cynical
demanding
depressed
derisive
derogatory
desolate
despairing
desperate
detached
diabolic
disappointed
disliking
disrespectful
doubtful
embarrassed
enraged
evasive
fatalistic
fearful
forceful
foreboding
frantic
frightened
frustrated
furious
gloomy
grave
greedy
grim
harsh
haughty
holier-than-thou
hopeless
impatient
incredulous
indifferent
indignant
inflammatory
insecure
insolent
irreverent
lethargic
melancholy
mischievous
miserable
mocking
mournful
nervous
ominous
outraged
paranoid
pathetic
patronizing
pedantic
pensive
pessimistic
pretentious
psychotic
resigned
reticent
sarcastic
sardonic
scornful
self-deprecating
selfish
serious
severe
sinister
skeptical
sly
solemn
somber
stern
stolid
stressful
strident
suspicious
tense
threatening
tragic
uncertain
uneasy
unfriendly
unsympathetic
upset
violent
wry